Method of making bearings



Feb. 7, 1956 H. w. SCHULTZ METHOD OF MAKING BEARINGS Original Filed Aug. 11, 1951 LEAD- TIN BEARING ALLOY INVENTOR. Harold W. Schultz His Attorney United States Patent 2,734,024 METHOD OF MAKING BEARINGS Harold W. Schultz, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 11, 1951, Serial No. 241,410. Divided and this application February 5, 1952, Serial No. 269,929

3 Claims. (Cl. 204-23) This invention relates to bearings and is particularly concerned with aluminum and aluminum alloy bearings having a bearing surface of another metal or alloy c0- extensively bonded thereto. This application is a division of application Serial No. 241,410, filed August 11, 1951, now Patent No. 2,586,099.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a composite type aluminum bearing having a layer, or bearing surface, of another metal, preferably of a bearing metal such as lead-base alloy.

in carrying out the above object, it is a further object in some cases to provide a bearing wherein the aluminum is coextensively bonded to and supported by a strong metal backing member such as steel or the like.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an aluminum and/ or aluminum alloy hearing which includes aluminum in a major portion together with smaller portions of alloying ingredients wherein one surface of the aluminum has a thin layer of corrosion resistant bearing metal coextensively bonded thereto, said bearing metal being selected from the class consisting of lead and tin; lead, tin and copper; lead and indium, etc., wherein the percentages thereof in the bearing alloy may vary in accordance with the specific use of the bearing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which show one type of bearing, namely, a semicylindrical bearing such as is used in internal combustion engines and the like.

Aluminum and aluminum alloy bearings have in recent years shown considerable promise in heavy duty applications wherein a bearing, having high strength under compressive load, high melting point and good bearing properties, is desired. Pure aluminum has been found satisfactory in many instances, as has aluminum alloys including cadmium, silicon, etc. One example of such an alloy is:

Percent Silicon 2 to 10 Cadmium .50 to 5 Remainder substantially all aluminum.

More recently, aluminum and aluminum alloy on steel bearings have been used, which bearings are of a replaceable character and may be used interchangeably in internal combustion engines with the conventional type of Babbitt on steel bearings and the like. These bearings may be made in accordance with various processes disclosed in copending applications assigned to the present assignee. The serial numbers of these applications are:

601,764, Schultz et al., filed June 27, 1945, now Patent 2,490,543, issued December 6, 1949.

603,597, Schultz, filed July 7, 1945, now Patent 2,490,548,

issued December 6, 1949.

603,598, Schultz et al., filed July 7, 1945, now abandoned.

603,599, Schultz et al., filed July 7, 1945, now Patent 2,490,549, issued December 6, 1949.

652,469, Schultz, filed March 6, 1946, now abandoned.

652,470, Schultz, filed March 6, 1946, now abandoned.

In some cases, it is highly desirable to provide a bear- 2,734,024 Patented rear, 195c JCC ing alloy working surface on the aluminum or aluminum alloy bearing. This bearing alloy is preferably a corrosion resistant lead-base alloy such as a lead-tin or lead, tin, copper alloy used in a thin layer coextensively bonded to the aluminum or aluminum alloy. This bearing alloy layer yields certain characteristics that are highly desirable and at the same time is of such a slight thickness that the strength rigidity, conformability and embedability of the aluminum or aluminum alloy bearing metal which is used as a backing is available for carrying the load. Thus the bearing has surface characteristics similar to the usual type of lead-base alloy bearing together with a strong aluminum alloy backing which is satisfactory for carrying heavy loads. When the bearing alloy layer wears through in localized areas due to deflection or other misalignment, the aluminum in itself is a good bearing material and carries on. In all cases, the aluminum portion may be a bearing per se or may be of the composite type wherein a steel backing is bonded thereto.

The single figure in the drawingv illustrates a bearing with a steel backing an intermediate aluminum layer and an overlying bearing surface layer of lead-tin alloy.

The application of lead-base alloys to aluminum containing surfaces presents a considerable problem. The bearing alloy cannot be applied satisfactorily in a molten state since poor bonds are apparent in many instances. Also it is difficult to maintain a thin layer of predetermined thickness. Thus, application of lead-base alloys to aluminum must be done under critical and accurately controlled conditions in order to obtain a satisfactory lead-base working surface which is coextensively bonded to the aluminum alloy backing.

In order to accomplish this, I have found that coplating lead with its alloying ingredient or ingredients directly onto the aluminum surface presents the most facile method of application and provides a finished bearing having all of the desired characteristics with none of the usual drawbacks apparent when casting methods are used.

In the coplating of lead-base alloys onto aluminum, the aluminum with or without a steel backing, is first degreased in a standard cleaner, such as hot trisodium phosphate, etc., for about ten to fifteen seconds, after which it is washed in running water. The next operation consists of an etching of the aluminum surface which is ,accomplished at temperatures of from 180 to 200 F., for about thirty seconds in a solution of tri-sodium phosphate and sodium hydroxide wherein about .40 to .45 of a pound of the chemical mixture is used per gallon of water. After the etching, the bearing is washed in cold water and any smut or dirt is brushed away. The bearing is next electrolyzed in approximately 8% sulfuric acid solution at room temperature wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy bearing is made the cathode, using a graphite anode. The electrolyzing is carried out for about three minutes with approximately 60 amperes per square foot current density. This electrolyzing treatment tends to further etch the surface of the aluminum. The bearing is next rinsed in cold water and is then immersed for about twenty seconds at room temperature in a sodium zincate solution in water wherein the specific gravity at 70 is approximately 1.407. After this treatment, the bearing is again rinsed and is then placed in a copper cyanide bath as the cathode for a period of about 1.7 minutes with a 10 ampere'per square foot current density, for plating copper thereon in a thickness of not less than .00001 and not to exceed .00005.

One formula for a satisfactory bath is:

Water 1 gallon Temperature of operationto F.

This step is important since this copper flash or strike must be controlled as above noted for best results. The copper plated bearing is next rinsed and is now ready for the final plating with the bearing alloy.

In the coplating of a specific lead-tin alloy wherein the lead may vary from 90 to 99% and the tin from to 1%, two half bearings are preferably held in circular form and an anode of lead tin having the desired percentages of metals therein is placed within in the proper spacing therewith. For example, when a three inch 1. D. bearing is being plated in anode having a two inch diameter has been found to be suitable. Single half bearings may also be plated providing satisfactory shields are used to insure uniform plate distribution. The electrolyte is a lead-fluoborate-tin-fluo-borate solution with gelatin added. For a 95% lead, 5% tin deposit, a ratio of approximately 12 to 1 between the reagents is maintained. Larger additions of gelatin may be used to control the tin deposit. Also bone glue may be substituted for the gelatin. During plating, which is carried out at room temperature, the electrolyte should be circulated and constantly filtered and the anode is preferably of the rotating type. A particular formula for a 12 to 1 electrolyte solution is as follows:

Lead-fluo-boratc 121o11)1ces per gallon (metallic lin-fludborate 1 ounce per gallon (metallic tin) Gelatin 5 ounces per gallon The lead may vary up to 17 ounces per gallon with no deleterious eiiects. In some instances where high corrosion resistance is desired, indium may be substituted for tin or may be subsequently applied to a lead overlay. in this case the indium should not exceed 7% of the alloy. The thickness of bearing alloy deposit on the aluminum is preferably in the order of .0002 to .001 inch and the coplating is carried out at a temperature of 50 to 110 F. at a suitable current density of from 20 to 75 amperes per square foot. After a satisfactory codeposit is obtained the bearing is rinsed in cold water and dried and is ready for use. The thickness of overlay above noted is the preferred finished thickness of the alloy.

I have found that other lead-base alloys may be coplated in a similar manner. One of such alloys which is effective as a bearing surface contemplates lead 98.5% to 82%; tin 1% to 15%; and, copper .5% to 3%. If any alloy within this range, for example, lead 86%; tin 12%; and, copper 2% is desired to be plated, the bath may contain:

Lead-fiuo-borate 111 orifices per gallon (metallic Tin-fluo-borate 2 ounces per gallon (metallic tin) Copper-fiuo-borate .25 ounce per gallon (metallic copper) Gelatin .5 ounce per gallon Here again the concentration of lead may vary upwards in accordance with the quantity of the tin salt and/or the current density used.

Aluminum bearings having a codeposit of lead-base alloy on the surface thereof have proven to be highly satisfactory in extremely heavy duty installations, such as diesel engines and the like, and upon microscopic examination after plating, appear to be a composite bearing of aluminum with a coextensive layer of the lead-base alloy bonded thereto.

Numerous deviations from the plating procedures set forth herein are obviously possible. The co-deposition of lead with other metals, such as tin, copper and indium is well known in the art as are methods for preparing material for electroplating. Therefore the specific method of depositing the alloy is not to be a limit in my invention which is directed to a composite bearing of aluminum having a lead-base bearing alloy surface coextensively bonded thereto and for this reason the methods disclosed herein are merely exemplary of methods which may be used to produce the article hereinafter claimed.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a method for making bearings comprising a bear ing member including aluminum as its major constituent and having an overlay of a lead-base alloy, the steps comprising: chemically etching a surface of said bearing member in a caustic solution for cleaning the same, superimposing an acidic etch upon said cleaned and etched surface, plating said doubly etched surface with successive layers of zinc and then copper wherein the copper layer is not less than .00001" and not in excess of .00005" thick, and finally coplating this layer of bearing alloy onto the surface of said copper layer, said bearing alloy consisting of a lead-base alloy having lead in quantities of at least 82% thereof and being in a thickness not in excess of .001.

2. In a method for making bearings comprising a bearing member including aluminum as its major constituent and having an overlay of a lead-base alloy, the steps comprising: etching a surface of said bearing member in a hot caustic solution, further etching said etched surface in an acidic bath, plating the etched surface by immersion in sodium zincate solution, plating the zinc surface in a copper cyanide solution for depositing a copper layer not less than .00001" and not in excess of .00005", and finally coplating a lead-base alloy having at least 82% lead in said alloy onto the copper plated surface of the bearing member in a layer not in excess of .001" thick.

In a method for making bearings comprising a bearing member including aluminum as its major constituent and having an overlay of a lead-base alloy, the steps comprising: preparing the surface of a bearing member for deposition of metal thereon, depositing zinc onto one surface of said member by immersion of the member in an aqueous solution of a soluble zinc salt, electroclepositing onto the zinc coated surface a layer of copper having a thickness of from .00001" to .00005", and then co-depositing a lead-base alloy having lead in quantities of at least 82% thereof onto the copper plated surface in a thickness not to exceed .001".

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,333,337 Pack Mar. 9, 1920 2,060,034 Chandler Nov. 10, 1936 2,086,841 Bagley et al. July 13, 1937 2,100,258 Larson Nov. 23, 1937 2,386,951 Howe Oct. 16, 1945 2,509,117 Wallace May 23, 1950 2,513,365 Rogoff July 4, 1950 2,586,099 Schultz Feb. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 601,173 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1948 OTHER REFERENCES American Electroplaters Society, Monthly Review, vol. 33, 1946, pages 269-277.

Trans. Electrochemical Society, vol. 88, 1945, pages 307-318, 

1. IN A METHOD FOR MAKING BEARINGS COMPRISING A BEARING MEMBER INCLUDING ALUMINUM AS ITS MAJOR CONSTITUENT AND HAVING AN OVERLAY OF A LEAD-BASE ALLOY, THE STEPS COMPRISING: CHEMICALLY ETCHING A SURFACE OF SAID BEARING MEMBER IN A CAUSTIC SOLUTION FOR CLEANING THE SAME, SUPERIMPOSING AN ACIDIC ETCH UPON SAID CLEANED AND ETCHED SURFACE, PLATING SAID DOUBLY ETCHED SURFACE WITH SUCCESSIVE LAYERS OF ZINC AND THEN COOPER WHEREIN THE COPPER LAYER IS NOT LESS THAN .00001" AND NOT EXCESS OF .00005" THICK, AND FINALLY COPLATING THIS LAYER OF BEARING ALLOY ONTO THE SURFACE OF SAID COPPER LAYER, SAID BEARING ALLOY CONSISTING OF A LEAD-BASE ALLOY HAVING LEAD IN QUANTITIES OF AT LEAST 82% THEREOF AND BEING IN A THICKNESS NOT IN EXCESS OF .001. 